Post 3: This year’s Open | This year’s You

"Strengthen Your Brothers"

Post 3: This year’s Open | This year’s You

As you may know, I am three weeks deep into a personal challenge of my own. The challenge is to lose about 3% body fat without losing more than 5 pounds of actual body weight. The trouble with tracking progress is that I swing 3-7 pounds a day depending on consumption and workouts. So my break point is 8-9% body fat– of which we will be testing March 5th with our Get Tanked folks. What does this have to do with your goals?

Well, as Nina would say, let’s meddle a little bit. I’ve been a personal trainer and/or CrossFit coach since 2003. I’ve heard all manner of resolutions and goals, from the most serious of individuals, be derailed by the simplest of excuses, like not having the right shoes that day. Now, the main goal should always be better than yesterday, or more importantly, make someone else better than yesterday. Even though many obstacles present themselves to our members (sometimes daily), I see people getting better everyday.

However, how much better are we getting? Are we getting as good as we can? Are we getting there as fast as we should? Do you feel as though you are spinning your wheels at times? I have this conversation with Jordan often, is good good enough? To be great, can you ever say you tried hard enough? There is nothing, NOTHING, I hate more than the statement, “I’m good.” It infuriates me. Your goal may not be to be great as in the standards of the world great, but it may simply be to be great in concerns to yourself.

Here’s the deal. What if you could be serious with yourself and block out 80% of the obstacles that knock you off track periodically from your goals? Hardline a goal and let nothing stop you from getting to it. Meddle meter going hot! Perhaps your goal is a box jump, pull up, muscle up, toes to bar, double under, rope climb, handstand push up, or enter movement here–> __________<——. First, do you practice these movements? I’m not talking 2 weeks before the Open. Would losing 10 pounds make it easier? 90% of the people who workout are trying to get fitter for life and are almost certainly trying to lose weight.

So let’s ask a few questions (cause I know you). How many alcoholic drinks do you consume weekly? How many sodas do you consume weekly? Do you snack on cupcakes or candy daily? Maybe it’s just a binge night. I can say from experience that a night of drinking and eating heavily can pack on 5 or 6 pounds in just that one night. Do you seriously think you can do those things with frequency and still lose weight? What if your problem is related to the poor mobility that you refuse to work on. Perhaps you want to snatch, overhead squat, or even air squat better but you can’t get the bar back, maintain a neutral spine, or get to depth with heels planted firmly to the floor. Well, wishing won’t get you there. Dedicated work, even on the boring stuff, will help you reach your goals.

I completely understand the concept of “I wanna live man!” But what if taking 8 weeks to put your head down, draw a line in the sand, dig your feet deep in the ground, and put in work propelled you toward a goal? I’m getting fired up right now trying not to type a bunch of stuff that seemingly would come off cynical or degrading. For me and my house as the Bible says.

I WILL reach my goal. I WILL intermittent fast. It works for my body. Oh man do I get hungry by 9:30am! But, I say too bad you big baby– you will get food when the clock says 11:00am. I WILL eat my 2 Mad Meal preps as my main food because it is easy and lessens the stress of prep and finding the right foods. I WILL NOT grab the M&M’s or Junior Mints I so crave by 4:00pm everyday driving to the box. I WILL have a beer or mixed drink with dinner on the weekend but anything more than that is off limits for next 6 weeks. Risking the narcissistic, I WILL have abs by the end of Open 2018. If I fail I do it publicly, but I humbly tell you that won’t happen. I want you to have that same confidence in yourself.

Lastly, what is 6-8 weeks in the grand scheme of things to jump start your personal fitness journey? How fast will 3 months, 6 months, or a year pass? Stand longingly looking back or stare daringly looking ahead.